Squeegee type fountain cleaning device



y 1959 K. KUROSE 2,893,044

SQUEEGEE TYPE FOUNTAIN CLEANING DEVICE Filed Feb. 16, 1956 IN V EN TOR. Xeamon ffw'ase Arrow/7 ;narily used for garden spraying purposes.

United States Patent '0 SQUEEGEE TYPE FOUNTAIN CLEANING DEVICE Keamon Kurose, Mercer Island, Wash. Application February 16, 1956, Serial No. 565,804

1 Claim.- c1. 1s-s2 2 My invention relates to a squeegee ty'pefountain cleaning device and an object of my invention is to provide a squeegee type fountain cleaning device -whichis highly eflicient and will save labor in cleaning windows and like upright surfaces.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cleaning device of this nature which will wash and squeegee an upright pane of glass at one operation. 7

Another object of my invention is to provide a cleaning device which has water supply means, squeegee members, a brush and a cleaning or rubbing'member all embodied in the same head or applicator.

Another object is to provide a cleaning device which has water or liquid supply means and vacuum type liquid draw-ofi' means both embodied in the same applicator and one which makes possible the cleaning of windows and the like without spilling an objectionable amount of water or cleaning liquid on the floors and on the person using the device. v

Other objects of my invention'are to provide a squeegee type fountain cleaning device which is simple in construction, not expensive to manufacture,-efiicient in operation and one which can be used with any ordinary vacuum or suction producing device and with any liquid pressure supply means, such as a pressure tank of the fortnordi- Other objects of my inventionwill be apparentifrom the following description taken in connection with'the' accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure l is a back view of a squeegee type fountain cleaning device constructed in accordance with my invention, part of the handle being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section, with parts in elevation, taken substantially on broken line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and on a larger scale than Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section, with parts in elevation, taken substantially on broken line 4-4 of Fig. l and on a larger scale than Fig. 1.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

This cleaning device comprises a relatively long narrow box shaped housing open at the front and having a top wall 10, a back wall 11, two end walls 12 and an inclined bottom wall 13. The incline of the bottom wall is downward, from front to rear of the housing. For purpose of this description the terms top, bottom, front, rear or back, and the like refer to the parts in the normal operative positions of the device, as shown in the drawings. The downward incline of the bottom wall provides a drainage chamber 14 in the lower rear portion of the housing. The bottom wall 13 is further inclined downwardly from both ends toward a mid position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that liquid will drain from the ends toward the mid point of said housing, this being the deepest part of the drainage chamber 14. Thus the bottom wall 13 is distorted to the extent that its rear edge portion is inclined downwardly from both ends toward the center, its front edge 2,893,044 Patented July 7, 1959 '2 is substantially straight from end to end and said bottom wall 13 is perpendicular to the back wall 11 at the ends and, from front to rear transversely considered, has a progressively increasing downward slope from its ends toward its center.

A longitudinally extending upper squeegee member 15, two end squeegee members 16 and a longitudinally extending lower squeegee member 17 are disposed within the housing and rest against the respective walls 10, 12 and 13. All of these squeegee members project a substantial distance outwardly from the open front of the housing and they cooperate to form a receptacle within which other cleaning devices and a liquid supply device are disposed. The foremost edge of the lower squeegee member and also the foremost edge of the lower side of the housing are substantially straight, as shown in Fig. 2.

Each squeegee member is formed of fairly stiff b-ut flexible material, such as rubber, and the rear edge portion of each squeegee member is preferably held within a metal reinforcing member 18 of U-shaped cross section.

A longitudinally extending cleaning or rubbing member 19, preferably of sponge rubber and having on its rear edge a reinforcing holder 20, is positioned against the upper squeegee member 15. A longitudinally extending flat liquid distribution conduit 21 is positioned below and against the cleaning member 19 and is provided with preferably downwardly inclined perforations 22 of small size along its forward edge. A bristle brush 23 is positioned below and against the liquid distribution conduit 21 and between said conduit and the lower squeegee member 17 with the brush 23 spaced from the squeegee member 17 except at its outermost extremity.

The several squeegee members and the cleaning memher and the brush all protrude outwardly a substantial conduit 21 and the brush 23 in assembled relation within the housing is to pass preferably two or moretransverse bolts 25 through the housing and through all of these members. This provides for dis-assembly and replacement of any or all of the said members if desired. The bolts fits snugly where they pass through the conduit member 21 to minimize leakage at this location. Also beveled spacer members 26 are provided between the brush 23 and the bottom squeegee member 17 to space these two members and to cause the bottom squeegee member 17 to conform to the incline of the bottom housing wall 13. This incline of the bottom squeegee member 17 causes it to direct liquid downwardly and rearwardly into the chamber 14, especially when the cleaning device is being moved upwardly over a window or like surface.

A liquid draw-off tube 27 is connected with substantially the lowermost part of the drainage chamber 14 and extends downwardly through the bottom housing wall 13. A flexible drainage or liquid draw-off tube 28 is connected with the lower end of the liquid drainage tube 27. This flexible tube 28 can be connected with suction exerting means to facilitate and speed up the drawing off of liquid from the drainage chamber 14 or it can be used as a gravity drainage tube in disposing of this liquid.

A liquid inlet tube 30 is secured to and communicatively connected with the liquid distribution conduit 21 and extends downwardly therefrom out of the housing. The rear edge of the lower squeegee member 17 can be notched and the brush 23 perforated, as shown in Fig. 3, to provide clearance for tube 30. The lower end of the tube 30 is connected with a flexible liquid supply tube 31. The tube 31 may connect with any suitable source of supply 3 of liquid under pressure. One satisfactory way to supply liquid under controlled pressure is to connect the tube 31 with a portable pressure tank of the form having a hand pump. to provide the pressure, this being the type of tank commonly used for garden spray purposes.

A handle 32 is pivotally secured to the back wall 11 of the housing by means such as a pivot pin 33 supported in spaced apart brackets 34 which are rigid with the housing. The pin 33 extends through a tube 35 which is rigid with the handle 32. Preferably about ninety degrees of relative movement between the handle 32 and the housing is provided for. The handle shown in the drawings .is tubular and may be short and is adapted to telescopically receive an extension member, not shown. The handle and housing are further connected by adjustable resilient means which yieldingly urges the handle and housing into a position in which the handle is approximately parallel to the housing wall 11. This adjustable resilient means is shown in the drawings as comprising preferably two endless elastic bands 36 fitted over and extending around the two tubes 27 and 30 and arranged to be engaged with an outwardly protruding rivet 37 on the back of the handle 32.

In use this device washes and brushes and rubs and squeegees all at one stroke. This saves time and labor in washing windows by making it unnecessary to first wash the window and then dry it by going over the same surface again with a squeegee. The pivotal mounting of the handle on the housing allows the cleaning face of the applicator to always rest flatly against the surface being cleaned with the handle pivoting as the applicator is moved upwardly or downwardly. This pivotal movement of the handle also minimizes strain on the hands and wrists of the user. The drain tubes 27-28 take care of most of the liquid so that it does not run down over window sills and walls and floors. The end squeegee members 16 minimize loss of liquid at the ends of the applicator and help in the cleaning, especially in cleaning in the corners of windows.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that changes in the same may be made within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A fountain type window cleaning device for cleaning upright window panes comprising a relatively long narrow box shaped housing having a back wall and two end walls and an upper and a lower wall and having an open front, the lower housing wall having a front edge which is straight from end to end of the housing and said lower housing wall sloping downwardly from front to rear and from both ends toward a location medially of the length of said housing forming in the bottom of said housing a drainage chamber having its lowest point substantially mid way between the two ends of said housing; two longitudinally extending flexible squeegee members within said housing secured flatly against the upper and lower housing wall respectively and protruding from the open front of the housing, the lower squeegee member having a straight outer edge and sloping downwardly from front to rear and from both ends toward the center in conformance with the slope of said lower housing wall; two flexible end squeegee members secured to the inner sides of therespective end walls of said housing, said four squeegee members forming a box shaped receptacle; a longitudinally extending sponge rubber cleaning pad disposed within the housing in contact with the upper squeegee member and terminating flush with said squeegee members; a longitudinally extending brush disposed in the housing adjacent the lower squeegee member and terminating flush with said squeegee members; a longitudinally extending perforated liquid distribution conduit disposed within the housing between said sponge rubber pad and said brush; a handle pivotally connected with said housing; resilient means yieldingly urging said handle into a position approximately parallel with the back wall of said housing; a liquid inlet conduit connected with said liquid distribution conduit; and a flexible liquid drainage conduit connected with the lowermost portion of said drainage chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 965,315 Moorhead July 26, 1910 1,114,592 Dewitt Oct. 20, 1914 1,219,196 Timko Mar. 13, 1917 1,752,664 Forcier Apr. 1, 1930 2,292,435 Crites Aug. 11, 1942 2,663,889 Fuglie Dec. 29, 1953 2,789,298 Peterson Apr. 23, 1957 

